One of the most notable expectations in recent times, in this new year 2026, is the title of Rookie of the Year in the American League:
Or the Blue Jays' right-handed pitcher, Trey Yesavage; or the White Sox's third base slugger, Munetaka Murakami?
In any case, these two young men are expected to have the best rookie campaign in a long time.
Such a promising aspiration heightens the tension before the first pitch. But we'll cope, by finding out what those guys are up to in each practice game.
In other words, they will be a special attraction at spring training.
Yesavage, compared to Walter Johnson.
If we look at the numbers, Cy Young will appear once again with his 511 games won, between 1890 and 1911.
How will the case of Young be, who is the only one in the Hall of Fame with 300 losses (315). His ERA, 2.63.
Now, after Cy in wins, comes Walter Johnson, with 417, 279 losses and an ERA of 2.19, who pitched between 1907 and 1927.
Back in his day, some experts insisted he was a better pitcher than Cy Young. Who knows!
Of course, those are the two pitchers who have been considered the best in Major League history for a century and a quarter. They have a combined 928 wins.
Well, those who study the Major Leagues now believe it's possible to compare Yesavage to Johnson. That is, comparing Johnson's career history with what's being predicted, or what's expected of the 22-year-old who wears the Blue Jays uniform.
The Dodgers won the 2025 World Series, but in Canada they are still celebrating the display of excellent pitching that Trey showed the world, with only less than two seasons of experience in the minors.
This Pottstown, Pennsylvania native was called up to the Blue Jays on September 15 of last year, after compiling a 5-1 record with a 3.12 ERA and 160 strikeouts in 98 innings pitched across four minor league teams. Manager John Schneider, even though he had only started three games (1-0, 3.21 ERA), entrusted him with the starting pitching start for the first game of the World Series, with the Dodgers visiting Toronto.
Schneider's explanation that day: "He's simply the best player I have on the roster."
After starting in Class A, Yesavage became the most admired player in the World Series, even by Dodgers fans.
He gave us plenty of reasons to be impressed. For example, he started five postseason games, when none of his first eight appearances had; and in Game 5 of the Series, he set a rookie record with 12 strikeouts… You're doing great, kid, you're doing great!
Murakami, a newcomer here but a veteran in Japan.
The White Sox, currently in the midst of a rebuild, have Munetaka Murakami, a left-handed infielder and prolific slugger, who will turn 26 on February 2nd. He has hit as many as 56 home runs in a single season in his home country.
And in his eight-year career there, he compiled a .273 batting average, with 265 home runs, 722 RBIs, and 76 stolen bases in 119 games, making him a tremendous veteran. But the rules allow him to qualify as a rookie in the major leagues.
He will be paid $34 million for two seasons, plus another million each time he is named Most Valuable Player.
The National League candidates.
On the other side, in the National League, there are three good candidates, according to Jimmy Shapiro: Nolan McLean, right-handed pitcher, Mets, 5-1, 2.06 ERA in eight games in 2025; Rocki Sasaki, right-handed pitcher, Dodgers, 24 years old, 1-1, 4.46 ERA in 2025; and Moisés Ballesteros, a 22-year-old catcher from Los Teques, Venezuela, with a .298 batting average, two home runs, and 11 RBIs in 2025.
Thanks to the life that has given me so much, even a reader like you.
